Apparatus and method for cleaning an endoscope

A scrubber for cleaning the cannula of a medical instrument comprising:

• (a) an elongate brush having a length sufficient to extend through at least a substantial portion of said cannula, said brush including a multiplicity of bristles along the length thereof, and
• (b) a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane deposited on said bristles, said brush having a cross section of a size and geometry adapted to fit within and engage the inner surfaces of the lumen of said cannula.

A scrubber for cleaning the cannula of a medical instrument comprising:

• (a) an elongate scrubbing member having a multiplicity of scrubber elements along the length thereof,
• (b) a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane deposited on said scrubber elements, and
• (c) a solution of detergent and/or enzyme absorbed in said layer of hydrophilic polyurethane.

A brush for cleaning the cannula of a medical instrument comprising:

• (a) an elongate brush having a length sufficient to extend through at least a substantial portion of said cannula, said brush including a multiplicity of bristles along the length thereof,
• (b) a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane deposited on said bristles, and
• (c) a solution of detergent and/or enzyme absorbed in said layer of hydrophilic polyurethane, said brush having a cross section of a size and geometry adapted to fit within and engage the inner surfaces of the lumen of said cannula.

A method for the manufacture of a scrubber for cleaning the interior passageways of the cannula of an endoscopic medical instrument comprising:

• coating an elongate scrubbing member comprising an axial structural member and a multiplicity of scrubber elements along the length of said member with a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane.

A method for the manufacture of a brush for cleaning the lumen of a cannula of a medical instrument comprising:

• coating an elongate brush comprising an axial structural member and a multiplicity of bristles extending outwardly therefrom along the length of said member with a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane;
• and absorbing in said layer of hydrophilic polyurethane an amount of a solution of detergent and enzyme effective to clean, degrade, disperse and dissolve the surfaces of the lumen of the cannula upon brushing contact therewith.

A method for cleaning the cannula of a medical instrument comprising contacting the lumen thereof with a scrubber comprising:

• (a) an elongate scrubbing member having a multiplicity of scrubber elements along the length thereof,
• (b) a layer of hydrophilic polyurethane deposited on said scrubber elements, and
• (c) a solution of detergent and/or enzyme absorbed in said layer of hydrophilic polyurethane.